Dressed In Black
by roxanneseabrookelinton
Summary: After catching her fiancé Taneleer Tivan cheating over candlelight dinner with another woman, Roxanne decides she needs to leave him and start a new life without him. Tivan claims the woman is only a business partner and will not let Roxanne out of his life so easily.
1. Chapter 1

I passed the candlelit dinner in a flurry as the beautiful red headed woman had arrived. Tivan had kissed her hand and spoken sweet words to her that made her laugh and smile at him fully.

I was jealous and felt used. He claimed it was just a business dinner and nothing more but I knew the difference between Tivan flirting and Tivan business. I was furious beyond words and began to leave him that very evening.

"Who's that?" I asked angrily.

Tivan gave me a casual look. "Leonora, this is Roxanne."

He gestured from me to the smiling redhead. "Roxanne, this is my business partner, Leonora."

"That's bullshit and you know it." I snapped coldly.

Tivan sighed. "Excuse me, Leonora."

I turned and bolted to my room to begin packing and leaving him. There was no way I was dealing with a cheating fiancée, even one as powerful and rich as Taneleer Tivan.

I heard his chair scrape against the black marble floor of the dining hall. "Stop, Roxanne."

I ignored him and kept walking briskly until I reached the door to my chambers where Tivan finally caught up to me.

"I said stop." Tivan commanded.

"Why?" I questioned. "So you can have both of us?"

He sighed deeply. "I love you, Roxanne. I'm going to marry you, not her. Leonora is only my business partner. She is helping me build my collection. That is the extent of our relationship and nothing more."

I shook my head in disbelief. "I know you, Taneleer. You don't fool me. That's not your usual business approach. Smiling and laughing, touching and kissing. I love you so much but I can't marry you and be second best in your life."

I shot him a cold glare and pulled his engagement ring off my finger without emotion, throwing it at his feet on the stone floor.

Before I could move, Tivan latched his lips to mine and pulled me into his strong arms. I struggled to break the kiss, moaning and protesting against his mouth to no avail.

When Tivan finally released me, my fist made contact with his jaw and I punched him in the face.

He stood there gaping in shock as I turned to go back into my room. "Fuck you." I said vehemently as I had left him in the doorframe.


	2. Chapter 2

He barged into my room, the smoke blowing from his nostrils as he sighed the green cigarette smoke from his lungs.

"Roxanne, I love you. You are the _one."_

"Apparently not the one for you." I retorted.

Tivan sighed. "Look at me, Roxanne."

I turned away from my packing.

He placed his hands on my shoulders.

"I would not hurt you intentionally. Cheating on you would be hurting you. I would never do that."

"I don't trust you. I don't believe you." I said haughtily.

Tivan said nothing for a long time. He reluctantly took a deep breath of the cigarette he was holding.

"So are you just going to keep her waiting?" I asked.

He exhaled, and coughed as the smoke left his lungs. "Leonora has gone."

"Are you okay?" I asked, with mild concern.

"Yes." Tivan answered, his voice harsh.

"I'm only asking because I care. I just don't know what to make of your keeping secrets like this from me, Taneleer. I never had a problem with trusting you before but now I do." I said cautiously.

He coughed. "You _can_ trust me, Roxanne."

"Are you sure you're okay?" I looked in his eyes worriedly.

Tivan sighed. "I'm fine. Just tell me how to keep you from leaving me. She's only a business partner. I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

I shook my head. "I shouldn't have to find out from walking in on you."

"Roxanne, why must you always be so difficult?"

Tivan sighed. "You mean a great deal to me."

He looked at me longingly before sighing loudly. "I don't understand why you would think I was cheating, my dear."

"I only thought that because you were sitting in the dark with her." I said vehemently.

"I need to talk to you about something, Roxanne." Tivan stated, taking a deep breath.

"Something of importance."

"Ok?" I asked curiously.

He inhaled sharply, moving closer to me so he could touch my cheek with his thumb.

"I wish to go somewhere with you, so I can start my life anew with you."

Tivan pressed his lips to the cigarette and the smoke filled his lungs.

He sighed, the green inky fumes leaving his lungs in a vanishing trail as they emitted from his nostrils.

"Why? Haven't you done enough?"

Tivan looked at me. He took another deep breath from the cigarette, filling his lungs again with the smoke and coughing.

I frowned, thinking to myself that he must still have smoke in his lungs.

He blew the smoke out slowly, making eye contact with me. "No. I have not done enough, Roxanne."

"I'm sorry. I just don't know what she could do for you that I couldn't." I said brusquely.

Tivan sighed, allowing his lungs to discard the smoke quickly. "I will build another collection where we decide to start our life together."


	4. Chapter 4

"Roxanne..."

Tivan sighed.

"I just want you to be happy here with me."

I nodded.

"I know. But that's not going to work out with you bringing other girls to dinner in the museum."

He shook his head.

"Of course, my dear Roxanne."

Tivan coughed, clearing his lungs.

"I love you, Tivan. You still have the power to keep me here with you. I love the way you turn everything around to fit your needs."

I smiled. "Always collecting things. Even from complete strangers. I'll always love that about you."

He sighed, and put out the cigarette. "You shall never see Leonora again, my dear."


	5. Chapter 5

He sighed. "We must talk about us, Roxanne. I want to take you anywhere in the universe you wish to go. Do not worry about money. It is not of importance. We need time alone..."

"But Taneleer, we don't have to go anywhere. We could just be together here and work out our communication skills. We don't have the greatest relationship, if you know what I mean." I said factually.

Tivan gently cupped my face. "That's why we need time alone in a different atmosphere, my dear."

He sighed again. "You're the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing before I sleep. You are the only thing besides my collection that I would put before my life."

"What?" I asked in disbelief. "Taneleer, you are more valuable than anything in your collection. I love you very much. I'm willing to give you more than one chance to straighten out things between us. That's how much I care about you and our relationship."

Tivan smiled. "I love you too, Roxanne."

He pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss before I could react. His arms snaked around my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck, caressing the fur that trailed down his back and shoulders from his white cloak.


End file.
